Free Sample Essays > European Literature
A Christmas Carol - The Visions Of Things That “May” Be Or “Will” Be
be like to die, he had better do it and decrease the population.” (p 131) Scrooge is heartbroken to hear his own words repeated back to him by the ghost. When it comes to Tiny Tim, Scrooge feels a bond towards him, even though he has yet to meet him. The ghost hints towards Scrooge that the future can be changed, but at the present time Tiny Tim will not live. Free will comes into play with the case of Tiny Tim, and is more of a reason for Scrooge to change himself.
Two wretched, miserable children are the objects of the next reference to free will. The two children come out from underneath the ghost of Christmas present’s large robe. The two children represent parts of humanity of the present time. On one of his last breaths, as he has a short lifetime, the specter describes the children.
“They are Man’s...And they cling to me, appealing from their fathers. This
boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want. Beware of them both, and all their
degree, but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that which is
Doom, unless the writing be erased.” (p 158)
Both children may be in fact an indication of Scrooge himself. Ignorance, the boy, represents Scrooge especially. The Doom the boy is about to go through is the doom of all ignorant people. The last line insinuates free will. The Doom will occur only if the writing on his brow
Is not erased. A person has the chance, according to the spirit, to turn around their lives. By leaving the life of Ignorance and Want, Scrooge will be able to change his life around. This is again, Dickens’ idea that a person has free will and the ability to incur their own fate.
The ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is the ghost who is the most representative of free will. Scrooge sees the visions of people around town rejoicing over the death of an individual, which he fears is his own. After seeing his own gravestone, it is revealed that in fact Scrooge has died as the cruel, heartless man that he stands as now in the present. Scrooge goes into a fit of mourning and he cries out asking the ghost questions. The ghost is silent.
“Are these the shadows of the things that Will be or are they the shadows
of the things that May be, only?… But if the courses be departed from,
the ends will change….I am not the man I was...Why show me this, if I
am past all hope?” (p 196-197)
Of course, Scrooge is not past all hope. He has the chance to change his fate. According to Dickens, the shadows Scrooge witnesses are the shadows [next page]